Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-03-12

lonely was I upon the removal OF these
dear ones from my home; but / had that
never failing solace for the melancholy
hard work. in abundance. Frequent letters
from Philadelphia, from each of the three,
gave me charming glimpses of happy
home-that paradise on earth. There was
no hint of Raymond's old torments
mas I was able to pay them q
fiyine visit of day; and what l saw and
heard while with them may be condensed
into three words-love, hope, happ ness.
Raymond had found an occupation that ex-
acty suited him-that of reviewer for n
high class of publications. He pursued it
with as much zeal as though his wealth did
not foot at a round hundred thousand; and
/ saw the evidences that he was making h 8
mark. From that brief visit sped back to
my incessant round Of labor, satisfied and
thankful beyond measure for the peace
and serenity that had at last settled upon
this sorely buffeted soul.
The months sped on, and on the after
noon of April 2Sth telegram was put
into my hand from Raymond Wager. It
startled me rs if with an electric shock. II
read:
For Gods sake come to me. The old
horror is grasping me. Come at once. "
All unprepared, and with urgent cases
on my hands, waited only to pen line to
the physician with whom I now and then
changed work, and then fastened across the
ferry. A train had just gone. l waited
two hours for another. 1t should have
brought me TO Philadelphia by nine
o'clock, but collision had blocked the
track, and it was past three in the morning
before my journeys end was reached.
There was no carriage to be obtained at
that hour, and walked two miles to Ray
mords house. Day was breaking when
reached it. Early as it was there was a
strange stir in the street. Fifty people at
least were congregated in front of the
house, and a policeman guarded the door.
pushed through the crowd and accosted
him.
What has happened here?"
"There has been man killed inside
here-shot himself, l believe; Idont know.
I'm only put here to keep out the crowd
l told him who l was and showed him
the telegram. With some demur he admit
ted me. The house was lighted. My sis
ter met me in the hall, her eyes red with
or Jeanne!" she said, lit will kill
her,"
She retained the hand had given her,
and led me to chamber up-stai; s.
White and CHASTITY on the bed
with bullet-hele in the middle Of his
fair forehead. lay Raymond Wager. His
night dress was upon him, and save fol-
that ugly mark, he looked like corpse al
ready prepared for the coffin. His wife
was kneellng by his side, her face hidden
in the bed.
My emotions were overpowering; / with
drew from the bedside, and went into the
hall. My sister followed me.
at has ended as have feared l founc
voice to say.
"Such madness as his was sure to end il
suicide"
Suicide" A.-e svrro,J: No. You have
not heard. At one o'clock this morning
Raymond was aroused by voice in the
lower part of the house. He went down a
once, and burglar shot him dead.
And this was the twenty ninth of April
The rufian who had caused this heavy
woe was apprehended, tried, convicted, ant
hanged. What he said, when tie judge
called upon him to say why sentence SHOULD
not be pronounced upon him, is the onl,
passage in all the dark episode that spe
cially concerns this narrative.
anybody would ha' done it in such
quod as that" he sulkily said. He skeere'
me half to death as it was. He came a
me with his arms spread out, and his eyer
bullying out of his head, just like ghost
, Blame me if / don't think he was ghost
He looked like he had just stepped out o
his coffin. Anybody would ha' fired At
such thing, just for fright.
And now-what answer to these strang
but absolutely true occurrences which
after seventeen years, ] have brought my
self to record? Can imagination and tor
ror, combined with chance, produce sucl
results? Or does the mysterious Beyond
lying but a step to either side of our path
way. sometimes reach ont its hands 10 US s.
that we may feel their grasp?